Where the Heart Lies

Chapter Seven: Changing Luck

Willard slowly opened his eyes, feeling more relaxed and peaceful than he ever had before. Abbie was pressed against him, her arms around his waist and her legs tangled with his. He softly kissed her shoulder, and she sighed in contentment, turning onto her back to give him a sleepy smile. "Morning."

"Good morning, Abbie." Willard kissed her lips, sighing quietly. "Did you sleep well?"

She nodded, stroking his arm. "Wonderfully, you?"

"Marvelously, better than I ever have, in fact. But right now..."he kissed her throat, and then began to move down her body. When he reached her stomach, he paused, speaking in a low voice. "I've got to tell you something…Abbie…my love…my girl…I'm starving."

Abbie blinked at him in surprise and Willard looked up and grinned at her. "What's for breakfast?" He laughed as she stuck her tongue out at him. "I had plenty of that last night, baby. I want some real food. OW!" He winced when she smacked his shoulder.

Abbie glared at him. "Real food, huh? Well, I suppose I could make something. But you have to do something for me first."

"Anything, love."

She smiled coyly at him. "Let me up. I'm kind of pinned by your lovely body. It's a rather nice feeling, but if you want me to make breakfast, you're going to have to move."

"I knew there'd be a catch," Willard said in mock disappointment. Abbie nudged him, and he rolled off her, allowing her to slip out of bed and retrieve her panties from the floor and a robe from her closet. "So, what are you going to make for breakfast?"

Abbie glared at him, her hands on her hips, and then tossed him his pants. "I'll make you into Rat King Soup if you don't get your butt out of bed and help me." Willard pouted at her, and she merely rolled her eyes at him. "You want breakfast, you have to help. So come on, out!"

"You're very forceful, baby. But if you really need my help, I'd be glad to oblige." He pulled on his pants, and they walked into the kitchen. Socrates was standing on the counter, his nose twitching as he gazed questioningly at his master. Willard chuckled, extending his hand so Socrates could run up onto his bare shoulder. "Morning, Socrates. We didn't startle you too much last night, did we?" Socrates nuzzled him, and Willard laughed. "That's good. You hungry, Socrates?" The rat chittered, and Willard looked at Abbie. "He's hungry."

"Is he?" Abbie stroked Socrates' fur. "Well, let's see what I can do about that." She knelt in front of the fridge, peering into the depths, and Willard groaned as her long bare legs were revealed to his gaze. Abbie looked over her shoulder, a wicked smile on her face. "Something distracting you, Willard?"

He smiled back just as wickedly. "Yep. Those gorgeous legs of yours. They're quite mouth-watering, babe."

Abbie chuckled, and then straightened up, holding a carton of eggs in her hand. She shut the fridge and placed the eggs on the counter, then draped her arms around Willard's shoulders. "So you're a leg man, huh?"

He laughed, and kissed her. "When it comes to you? I love everything. But the legs are definitely up there."

Abbie giggled. "I'm flattered." She carefully disentangled herself. "How do you want your eggs?"

"Scrambled, please." Willard leaned against the counter, watching as Abbie prepared the eggs. "You said you needed my help?"

Abbie nodded, and then pointed to a cupboard above his head. "Could you get down the salt and pepper, please? It's pretty far back; I can't reach it without standing on my tiptoes."

Willard grinned, crossing his arms in front of him. "I'd like to see that."

Abbie rolled her eyes heavenward. "Willard, just get the salt and pepper down."

"Very well, but I think it's a shame that you're depriving your lover of this wonderful opportunity to drool over you."

"I know, and I'm devastated by it. Get the damn spices down."

Willard retrieved the salt and pepper and placed them next to her. "Salt and pepper as you requested, lover."

Abbie kissed him. "Thank you so much. Now, go sit and I'll scramble the eggs. How do you want them scrambled?"

"A bit runny."

Abbie finished scrambling the eggs, dividing them into three portions-two for her and Willard, and a rat size portion for Socrates. She made sure to put extra cheese on his portion.

Socrates sniffed the eggs, then wriggled happily and began eating. Willard laughed, watching him. "He likes that. Thanks for making him a portion."

Abbie grinned, digging into her eggs. "Well, he did look hungry. Besides, I like him. He's a good friend to you, isn't he?"

Willard nodded. "He is. You and he are the only friends I've ever had. If anything happened to either of you, I don't know what I'd do."

Abbie smiled softly. "What about Cathryn?"

Willard blinked at her, confused. "What about Cathryn?"

"Isn't she your friend?"

Willard bit his lip. "Well…I do get along with her, but I'm not as comfortable around her as I am around you. She is a hell of a lot nicer than the other people I work with, but I sometimes wonder if she just is nice to me because she feels sorry for me."

Abbie smiled at him in understanding. "I never felt sorry for you, Willard, and I never will."

"Good, because that's one thing I always hated. I had enough trouble feeling sorry for myself on my own; I didn't need other people to pick up the slack for me."

Abbie gently squeezed his hand, and then changed the subject. "Are you going to work today?"

He nodded his head. "Yes, but first I've got some things I need to do at the…the cemetery."

Abbie sighed. "At least you can be a bit late this time. Boss bastard will have my hide if I don't show up nine on the dot, and I want to give you something before I leave."

She went into the bedroom, emerging a few moments later dressed and with a key in her hand. "This is a spare to the apartment. You can use it whenever you want." She pressed it into his hand, and he smiled gratefully at her.

"Thank you. I promise not to lose it. Do you want me to give you a ride to work?"

Abbie grinned at him. "Would you?" He nodded, and she beamed wider. "Thanks."

"No problem. Give me a few moments to get dressed, and I'll take you. Keep an eye on Socrates, will you?"

"Of course." Abbie gently picked up Socrates, stroking him, and he nuzzled her, chittering softly. "Good boy."

Thirty minutes later, Willard pulled up in front of the dull grey brick building that housed Steiner and Sons Law Firm. They got out together, and Abbie kissed his cheek and was about to head inside when she noticed someone walking out towards the parking lot. She groaned in exasperation as she recognized the person. "Shit. It's Junior."

Willard watched him approach, his face grim, and spoke in a low voice. "That's the guy that tried to run you down?" Abbie nodded in disgust, and Willard smirked. "You didn't do him justice, babe. He's not ugly, he's a Neanderthal."

Abbie sputtered in laughter, and Willard grinned at her. Abbie chuckled, and then groaned in annoyance. "Great. He's coming over here." Sure enough, the younger Steiner was heading right for them, a leer on his face. He stood in front of Abbie, completely ignoring Willard.

"Hello, Annabelle. How are you feeling today?"

Abbie glared at him. "Fine, thank you. Could you kindly get the hell out of my way? I'd like to get started on my job." She glared at him when he placed his hand on her arm. "I'll give you three seconds to let go."

Robert Jr. leered at her. "And if I don't? What will you do about it, Annabelle?" He grunted in surprise when he felt someone grab his left arm, slamming him against the car door.

Willard glared at him. "I do believe she told you to let go of her. Now, can you give me a good reason why you're harassing my girlfriend?"

Steiner Jr. looked from Willard to Abbie then back to Willard, disbelief on his face. "Your girlfriend? Boy, Annabelle must really be slumming if she would choose a ratty looking character like you over me."

Abbie snorted. "No, see I actually have taste. That's why I chose Willard over you."

Robert laughed. "Oh please, Annabelle. What on earth could this little milquetoast have that I don't?" Abbie gazed coolly at him, speaking in a dry voice.

"You want it alphabetically? He's bright, clever, compassionate, funny, gentle, handsome, interesting, kind, sexy as all hell, and wonderful. Whereas you are bland, boring, colorless, dull, drab, ugly as sin, idiotic, and a misogynistic asshole with such an inflated sense of your libido and sexual conquests that you try to run down a woman when she rejects your thinly veiled invite to fuck in the back seat of your Caddy! Shall I go on, or have you gotten the message?"

Steiner gawped at her in shock, his mouth working in silent astonishment. Finally he found his voice. "You…you can't talk to me that way! I'll….I'll…"

"You'll what? Run and tell Daddy? I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know that you tried to run me over. I could have you bought up on attempted murder. Would you care for that? I'm sure that would be a great topic of discussion at the next Board meeting. 'Heir to Steiner Firm charged with attempted murder.' You'd be the talk of the town!"

Steiner snorted. "You just try it, you bitch. You forget that I'm a lawyer."

Abbie laughed. "No, your Daddy is the lawyer. You're just a glorified ambulance chaser and you should be sacked. Now, if you'll kindly step aside, I'd like to get to work and explain to your daddy that I'm late because you tried to harass me-again." She shoved past him, heading into the building, and then turned. "Willard, I'll see you later, babe. Robert-kindly piss off and die."

Robert gazed contemptuously at Willard, who was grinning. "I bet by next week I'll have her so besotted with me that she won't even remember your name."

Willard's grin faded and he glared at Steiner so piercingly that the other man took two steps back. "You bother her again, and you will regret it, I promise. Good day to you." He left, and Steiner Jr. turned and walked back into the building, a gobsmacked look on his face.

Abbie sat in front of her computer, smiling quietly to herself as she listened to the elder Steiner berate his son. She had gone straight into his office and told him everything, and Mr. Steiner had promised to take care of it. "Miss Carsons, I know you see me as a despot, and we might have our differences, but the plain truth is, you are one of the finest assistants that have ever worked here, and I'd hate for you to have to be in a negative work environment because of my idiot son. I'll talk to him, I promise." Abbie had thanked him, and now she giggled to herself as snatches of conversation came drifting through the open door of Steiner's office.

"She has made it perfectly clear that she is not interested, and you are lucky that she hasn't bought you up on charges!"

"But…"

"She is a fine assistant, and I will not have her leave because of you, is that clear?"

"But…"

"Stop butting in! Now, you are to leave Miss Carsons alone, is that clear?"

"But Dad…"

"Is that clear? !"

"Yes."

Mr. Steiner smiled. "Good. Now, get back to work."

Abbie bit her lip to keep from laughing as Robert stalked past her, his face red from embarrassment.

Willard stood in front of his mother's grave, a bouquet of roses clutched in his hand. He knelt in front of the headstone, gently tracing the inscription.

Elizabeth Stiles

Beloved Mother

1925-2003

Angels Watch Over Her

He placed the roses on the grave. "Hi Mom. I hope you've found Father up there. I miss you, you know. I'm sorry I wasn't a better son to you." He paused, and then smiled to himself. "I've found someone that I love very much. I wish you could have met her. But I know that you'd be proud of me for finally falling in love. Be at peace, Mom. I love you."

Abbie stood in front of Stiles and Martin Manufacturing, a small bag clutched in her hand and a wicked grin on her face. She pulled out her cell and dialed Cathryn's number.

"Hello, this is Cathryn speaking."

"Cathryn? It's Abbie. Is Willard there?"

"Yes, why?"

"Is he at his desk?"

"No, he's in the storeroom getting some more purchase orders, why?"

"Good, stall him for about five minutes."

"Why…" Cathryn sighed as Abbie ended the call, and then headed for the storeroom.

"Willard? You in here? Willard?"

She jumped as Willard rounded the corner. "Oh, you are here. Ummm…how are you?"

Willard stared at her. "I'm fine, Cathryn. Why?"

"How'd…how'd everything go at the cemetery?"

Willard turned to her, speaking curtly. "Fine."

Cathryn nodded. "That's good…umm…have you found the purchase orders yet?"

"No."

"Well, should I help?"

"If you want. Do you know what they look like?"

Cathryn nodded, and began to help Willard look. It wasn't long before they located the purchase orders, and Willard sighed in relief. "Thanks Cat. Sorry I was so brusque." Cathryn smiled at him in understanding.

"Not a problem."

Willard stepped out of the storeroom, and his eyes widened happily. Abbie was sitting in his chair, her feet propped up on his desk and her hands behind her head. "Abbie! What…what brings you here?"

She grinned at him and pointed to a small bag in the center of his desk. "That."

He grinned and walked over to her, gently nudging her feet. "Get your feet off my desk, babe." Abbie pouted, but obeyed, and Willard sat on his desk and opened the bag, grinning widely at the contents.

"Jelly beans! Thank you!" He popped one into his mouth, beaming. "This is great! Want one?" Abbie held out her hand, and Willard pouted at her. "Uh -uh. Open your mouth." She frowned at him, and he grinned. "Mouth. Open." She huffed, but opened her mouth, and Willard selected a jellybean and popped it into her mouth. "What flavor was that?"

"Watermelon, I think. What flavor did you get?"

"Strawberry." He grinned at her. "My favorite."

Abbie sat next to him. "Well, you said you loved jelly beans, so I thought I'd be nice and get you some. Sorry I couldn't get more, but a small bag was all I could afford."

Willard grinned. "A small bag is plenty, sweetheart." He leaned over and kissed her cheek, then whispered in her ear. "Make it up to me later." Abbie giggled, nodding.

"I promise. Babe, enjoy the jelly beans. I've got to be returning to work. I'll see you tonight?" Willard nodded, and Abbie grinned. "Great." She gave him a chaste kiss then hopped off his desk. "Bye, love."

"Bye." Willard watched her leave, and then slid into his chair, sighing happily.

Cathryn sat down, grinning at him. "You look happy."

Willard giggled. "I got jelly beans!" He extended the bag to Cathryn. "Want one?"

"Sure." She took one, grinning. "Root beer. Good flavor."

Willard smiled to himself, glad that his luck had finally started to change.